pkg.soopen package index

brew / rank 1110

Install diffutils with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper, scoop, winget

File comparison utilities. Version 3.12 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install diffutils.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install diffutils

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install diffutils

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/diffutils/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add diffutils

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · diffutils · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install diffutils

Debian stable package indexes · diffutils · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install diffutils

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · diffutils · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#diffutils

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/di/diffutils/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S diffutils

Arch Linux sync databases · diffutils · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install diffutils

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · diffutils · source: download.opensuse.org

Windows

Chocolateyverified · 92%
choco install diffutils

Chocolatey community package catalog · diffutils · source: community.chocolatey.org

Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install main/diffutils

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/diffutils.json · source: api.github.com

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%
winget install --id uutils.diffutils -e

Windows Package Manager source index · uutils.diffutils · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com

overview

Package summary

File comparison utilities

Commands and aliases

  • cmp
  • diff
  • diff3
  • sdiff

history

Project history and usage

GNU Diffutils is the GNU package that provides the classic file-comparison programs `diff`, `cmp`, `diff3`, and `sdiff`.

Project history

The GNU Diffutils manual describes the package as a way to find differences between files, including side-by-side formats, context and unified diffs, and scripts suitable for the `patch` program. As part of GNU, it supplies standard userland comparison utilities across GNU and GNU-like systems.

Adoption history

Diffutils became package-manager infrastructure almost by being everywhere: the tools are standard build, patch-review, and source-maintenance utilities, and Homebrew, Linux distributions, and other package sets commonly ship the GNU implementations under the `diffutils` package name.

How it is used

`diff` compares text files and can emit normal, context, or unified output; `cmp` checks byte-level differences; `diff3` compares three files for merge-style workflows; and `sdiff` supports side-by-side comparison and merging.

Why package nerds care

Diffutils is foundational package-nerd equipment. Source packages, downstream patches, generated tarballs, build logs, and regression tests all lean on diff-family tools, and many higher-level tools in this batch either consume diff output or improve on its presentation.

Timeline

  • 1980s-1990s: GNU Diffutils became the GNU implementation of core file-comparison utilities.
  • 2000s: Unified diff output remained the common interchange format for source patches and package maintenance.
  • 2020s: GNU Diffutils continues to be distributed as the `diffutils` package across package managers.

Related projects

  • Related tools include GNU patch, diffstat, Git diff, colordiff, diffoscope, and modern syntax-aware viewers such as Difftastic.

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

  • narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

  • metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
cmpexecutableindexed executableDiscovered from the local executable index.
diffexecutableindexed executableDiscovered from the local executable index.
diff3executableindexed executableDiscovered from the local executable index.
sdiffexecutableindexed executableDiscovered from the local executable index.

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-08-03
manager version3.12
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
  • okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:diffutils
Version3.12
Package managerHomebrew
Homepagehttps://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/
Bottlenot recorded
Servicenone declared

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

diffutils 1:3.10-4

File comparison utilities

https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/

sudo apt install diffutils
  • Section: utils
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 2 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: diffutils from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Debian apt95%

diffutils-doc 1:3.10-4

Documentation for GNU diffutils in HTML format

https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/

sudo apt install diffutils-doc
  • Section: doc
  • Architecture: all
  • Source Package: diffutils
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: diffutils-doc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

diffutils

nix profile install nixpkgs#diffutils
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/di/diffutils/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt95%

diffutils 1:3.10-1build1

File comparison utilities

https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/

sudo apt install diffutils
  • Section: utils
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 2 optional deps
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: diffutils from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
Ubuntu apt95%

diffutils-doc 1:3.10-1build1

Documentation for GNU diffutils in HTML format

https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/

sudo apt install diffutils-doc
  • Section: doc
  • Architecture: all
  • Source Package: diffutils
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: diffutils-doc from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk95%

diffutils 3.12-r0

Show differences among files

https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/

sudo apk add diffutils
  • License: GPL-3.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: diffutils
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: diffutils from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

diffutils-doc 3.12-r0

Show differences among files (documentation)

https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/

sudo apk add diffutils-doc
  • License: GPL-3.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: diffutils
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: diffutils-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
dnf95%

diffutils 3.12-6.fc45

GNU collection of diff utilities

https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/diffutils.html

sudo dnf install diffutils
  • License: GPL-3.0-or-later
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: diffutils
  • 2 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: diffutils from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst
pacman95%

diffutils 3.12-2

Utility programs used for creating patch files

https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils

sudo pacman -S diffutils
  • License: GPL-3.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: diffutils from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz
zypper95%

diffutils 3.12-1.5

GNU diff Utilities

https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/

sudo zypper install diffutils
  • License: GFDL-1.2-only AND GPL-3.0-or-later
  • Category: Productivity/Text/Utilities
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: diffutils
  • 1 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: diffutils from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst
zypper95%

diffutils-lang 3.12-1.5

Translations for package diffutils

https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/

sudo zypper install diffutils-lang
  • License: GFDL-1.2-only AND GPL-3.0-or-later
  • Category: System/Localization
  • Architecture: noarch
  • Source Package: diffutils
  • 1 dependencies
  • 3 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: diffutils-lang from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst
MacPorts95%

diffutils

sudo port install diffutils
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/diffutils/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Chocolatey95%

diffutils

choco install diffutils
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
Chocolatey community package catalog · community.chocolatey.org · Chocolatey community package catalog: diffutils from http://community.chocolatey.org/api/v2/Packages?$filter=IsLatestVersion&$select=Id&$top=1000&$skiptoken='11','deezer'
Scoop95%

main/diffutils

scoop install main/diffutils
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/diffutils.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1
winget95%

uutils.diffutils

winget install --id uutils.diffutils -e
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Diffutils
Windows Package Manager source index · cdn.winget.microsoft.com · Windows Package Manager source index: uutils.diffutils from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix
winget92%

DBAdminX.Diff

winget install --id DBAdminX.Diff -e
  • installed executable or alias match
  • Matched by: Diff
Windows Package Manager source index · cdn.winget.microsoft.com · Windows Package Manager source index: DBAdminX.Diff from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

Same workflow

  • diffutilsSame normalized package name exists in another local package ecosystem.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Used sources

  • Geiger risk classifier
  • cross-ecosystem install command graph
  • curated package history
  • external package-manager database matches
  • pkg.so package database
  • pkgdb category and tag curation